Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, April 20, 1906, Image 1

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    Fhe Omaha Daily Bee.
Your Monty' Worth
THE OMAHA DEE
Cest tlT. West
Whn Ada Count
THE OMAHA DEE
Best
tlT. West
ESTABLISITED JUNE 19, 1871.
OMAHA, FMDAY MOKNIXO, APRIL 'JO, H0I TWELVE PAflKS.
SINGLE COPY THREE CENTS.
N
y
FAilH IS
BANGER NOW
San Francisco's Homeless Thousands Face a
Shortage of Provisions.
SUPPLIES OF ALL SORTS RUNNING SHORT
Starvation is Added to Dancers from
Fire and Earthquake.
POLICE TAKE CHARGE OF FOOD STORES
Authorities Act with Promptness in the
Conservation of Supplies.
THIEVES SHOT DOWN IN STREETS
Military Deals Strictly with Vandals When
Caught at Looting.
TERROR OF NIGHT CONTINUES ALL DAY
Daylieht Brings Only Better View of the
Disaster's Dreadful Eitent.
PANIC SPREADS AMONG THE PEOPLE
Flight of Residents in All Directions
Continues Through the Day.
DYNAMITE USED TO FIGHT THE FIRE
Bolldlnr Blown Ip find Debris
Demolished to rrrvrnt Spread of
Flame, bat All Efforts
Seem Unavailing;.
BAN FRANCISCO. April J9.-Via Oak
land Tho magnitude of the calamity that
has befallen Ran Francisco became ap
parent this morning, when a rod sun
arose above the horizon and dissipated the
pall of darkness that hung over the
atrlcken districts. Looking eastward from
the heights of the central portion of the
metropolis everything attested to the
awful havoo wrought by earthquake and
flame. Where once rose noble buildings In
serried column now stand nothing but
frail walls. Isolated, tottering chimneys,
heaps of twisted Iron and huge piles of
brick and mortar. And to add to the hor
ror of the situation, the destruction has
not reached its conclusion.
In several sections the Are was still rag
ing with unabated vigor, converting Into
moke and ashes everything in the shape of
combustible material and turning Into ruin
structures that bad cost millions to erect.
It "wS with .saddened hearts-thttt- the-vmn-munlty
viewed the ruin of their city, but
the extent of the devastation has not yet
coma to be fully realised. The people
are aware of the catastrophe only in a
dased way and it will not be until the hor
rors of famine and want are added to
their suffering that they will be impressed
with the awfulness of the destructive work
of disturbed Nature and the fiery ele
ment. Famine Threatens People.
For famine Is already presenting its
hideous face. At beBt the city never car
ried more than a three days' supply of
food and provisions, and now with the
wholesale district warehouse wiped out.
there Is already a shortage of food and
prloes this morning In most instances
were trebled.
An Associated Press man was obliged 10
pay X cents for a small gluss of mineral
water In the Hayes Valley district. There
Is absolutely not a drop of water in that
half of the city that has been laid waste.
This n.ornlng policemen were stationed at
some of the retail shops rvgulutlng the sale
of foodstuffs and permitting only a small
portion of goods to be delivered to each pur
chaser, the idea being to prevent a few per
sons gathering in large quantities of sup
plies. Reports were received that numerous
shootings had occurred of men caught in
the act of looting. The military la unusu
ally strict In observing the enforcement of
this order. One man on Market street who
was found digging in the ruins of a Jewelry
shop was discovered by a naval reserve
l.lan and fired upon three times. The fel
low sought safety in flight, but the reserve
man brought him down by running his bay
onet through him. The bodies of three
thieves were lying in the streets on the
South Bide this forenoon.
Reports of widespread looting came to
press representatives front various quar
ters. In fact, concerted action of any kind
is simply out of the question, an dalmoet
every official Is acting on his own respon
sibility. It being a physical impossibility
to communicate with superior authorities.
Yesterday some sort of systematic com
munication could be had by means of
automobiles, but today every street Is
piled high with ruins and. to add to this
trouble, there Is constunt dunger from
railing walls. On miles of streets the
front walls of ruined buildings still stand,
swaying with the concussions of distant
dynamite explosions and the rising winds.
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW FROM NOB HILL SHOWING PART OF SAN FRANCISCO NOW LAID IN RUINS
A ;"v;' fci r';' w
Frequently a crash of stone and brlrk.
followed by a cloud of dust, give warning
to pedestrians of fhe unsafely of travel.
All manner of reports of death and dis
ater are coming to the temporary head
quarters of the authorities, btit they aro'
received with due allowance for the ex
citement of the occasion.
Fltaht of Residents Continues.
The flight of residents from the city con
tinued today In the nature of n. panic, a
slight earthquake at 5 o'clock this morning
accentuating their terrors. The ferryboats
to adjacent counties were crowded to the
utmost tills forenoon and to the westward
portion of the peninsula a constant throng
of homeless peoplo carrying their portable
household belongings are addlm to the
colonies In tin; secure sand hills and tho
parks. Golden Gate park and the unim
proved blocks of the district south and
north of the park are already presenting the
appearance of tented cities. Many varieties
of shelter are being Improvised from bed
ding and blankets.
The wind changed this morning to the
west and the flames changed their de
vouring p" -lion southward, and began
eating f (de swath frrtin the water
front f, -rth of Market street tin
towhat. 'r. y a x,,b Hm an pnll.
nenee tha n selected years ago
by the mul,
ires of the bonanza
ect their mansions.
y tho Hotel Fair
of over Si.Omi.rtm.
if white stone,
4 point of the
days upon w
This hill Is sur
mont, Just nlshed
It Is a beautiful s
visible from almost
city, and the horror
is universal when
Its destruction seemed inevitable.
Fire Moves "loTrlr nnd Mnrely.
Blowly but surely the fire ate its way up
tho slope, consuming the homes of the late
Mrs. Stanford and the Hopkins Art insti
tute, built by Mark Hopkins of Central Ia-
clflc fame. At this writing the hotel could
be seen ncrasslonaly standing In the center
of huge clouds of smoke and if It is saved
Its salvation may be regarded in the light
of supernatural manifestation. From the
upward slope the fire also took a direction
northwesterly into the district that had
been left untouched last night. This por
tion of the town embraces tho Ijiiin quar
ter, populated by people of various nation
alities, and the houses are all of flimsy con
struction. Once getting foothold there the
fire will cut its way through as though go
ing through a forest In the dryest time of
summer.
In the Mission district to the south of
Market etreet the zone of ruin was ex
tended further westward toward the ex
treme southern portion, but was cheeked
at Fourteenth and Mission by the wholesale
use of dynamite.
Hospitals are Saved.
At this point are located the Southern Pa
cific hospital, the Bt. Francis hospital and
the College of Physicians and Surgeons.
In order to save these Institutions buildings
were blown up all around theri ana' til
danger threatening them had been averted
up to noon.
In the Hayes Valley district south of Mc
Allllster and north of Market the flro was
conlined on the west by Octavla street
and on the north by McAllister street. In
these confines the destruction was com
plete. Therein were located St. Ignatius
school and church of which only the side
walls remain. Of the Mechanics' pavilion
the scene of hundreds of great political,
social and sporting events not a timber
remains. Opposite it was the St. Nicholas
hotel and it is now simply a pile of ruined
bricks, a ruin among many of a similar
nature.
RFFIGFES FLER TO O AK I. AM)
Suburb Houses and Feeds Fifty
Thousand Persons.
OAKLAND, April 19. Oakland, the
largest suburb of San Francisco, tonight
housed and fed probably fO.OOO refugees of
the fire-stricken city across the bay. All
day this stream of humanity has poured
from the ft-rrles, everyone carrying some
article of baggage saved from the con--flagratlon.
Thousands of Chinese, men,
women and children, all carrying luggage
to the limit of the strength and fleeing
from their quarters that have long been
one of the show places for San Francisco
visitors, mingled with the crowds and
poured into the limited Chinese section of
Oakland.
Thousands besieged the restaurants, and
soldiers weie stationed at the doors to keep
them in line and to allow only as many
to puss who could find standing room at
the counters. During the greater part of
the day there has been a throng of people
lounging around the Seventh street depot.
Many are residents of Oakland who have
no work to do and are simply killing time.
Some of them are refugees from San Fran
cisco who have no place to go and are
sat is lied to stand around and take part in
the scene of excitement attending the ar
rival of trains.
T.'ils morning this Mgn, In large character.-),
was hung In the vestibule of the
Seveith street deoC.
Southern Pacific Railroad Company, Office
of the Superintendent. Oakland Pier. To
Agents: .At s:4o o clock a. m. an order
from General Funston, the commanding
officer iu Sail Francisco, was received, us
tol ows:
"lio not. furnish passage to a single per
son to San Francisco until further orders."
We cannot handle them.
W. It. SCOTT, Superintendent.
This refusal was inspired by the Idea of,
OMAHA SUBSCRIPTIONS
sub- t
Omaha people are urged to
8Tlle at once, and with what liber
ality they may to aid the people of
Ban Francisco and California In
their hour of distress. The situation
at San Francisco exceeds In horror
all that has been told. The need of
the suffering people Is dire and
urgent, and their call for help
should not go unheard. Omnha sub
scriptions should be made at once,
payable to Luther Drake, treasurer
of the local relief committee.
Checks should lie sent to him with
out further notice or solicitation.
J
keeping Pan Francisco from becoming con
gested with people.
Kvery train from Bun Francisco brings
hundreds of refugees carrying luggage and
bedding in large quantities. Many of the
women are bareheaded and all of them
show fatigue as the result of sleeplessness
and exposure to the chill air of last night.
Hundreds of these people line th streets
in the henrt of town waiting for some
thing to turn up or someone to come along
to provide theni with shelter.
Karly this morning representatives of the
Oakland general relief committee appeared
on the streets and especially at the liroad-
wiiy depot.
One of the Immediate effects has been f
the raising of restaurant prices from 2o to
1" per cent.
STATU
I MVKItSlTY
ESCAPES
RalMinas of Ills; Institution
.Not
Harmed by Shock.
BERKELEY, Cel.. April 19-By a seem
ing miracle the big university buildings
that stand on the campus elevations es
caped harm in the earthquake shock.
Itecorder James button of the university
said:
"I have made a personal examination of
the buildings on the campus and have re
ceived reports from deans of the colleges,
and It appears that not one of the buildings
is harmed In the slightest degree.
"Prof. O'Neill of the chemistry depart
ment reports that the damage done to the
instruments in the building will not able
gate more than S.V.'. California hall lias not
a mark on it to Indicate that an earthquake
occurred this morning. The other bulldtiiMs
appear to bo in tho same condition. Tho
Oreekj) theater has not a scratch on Its
walls."
The town of Berkeley was not so fortu
nate as the university In the matter of
damage sustained. No lives ivcrc lost, nor
were thero any noluble disasters to build
ings. MAP OF
ca
1 11 11 1 1 1 1 I fcJ O
i 1 1 1 pi i i i r-h f i r
i ii iiii ii ii ii
cm aaao
I
EDDDI
Dark Line Incloses LVffion Devastated Wednesday, the Shaded
quake Destroyed Duildincs Fire Has Since Spread Over
OMAHA QUICK
WITH RELIEF
Ten Thousand Dollars Subscribed as
Starter to Aid Stricken California.
GUY BARTON GIVES HALF THE AMOUNT
Committee Appointed Which Will Continue
the Work of Bolicitine.
UNION PACIFIC DONATES TRANSPORTATION
In Kesponse to Messaeo Governor Says' Send
Provisions, Not Ca&u.
STREAM OF FOOD TO START AT ONCE
Baccacce Car Loaded with Supplies to Be
Attached to Each Passeneer Train.
FREIGHT TOO SLOW TO ANSWER PURPOSE
Stream
is to Eo Kept Up Daily Until
No Longer Needed.
CITY AND STATE FREE WITH ITS BOUNTY
Citizens' Committee Takes Hold Without
Wastine a Moment.
TO MAKE THOROUGH CANVASS FOR FUNDS
Public Cash Cannot He Appropriated,
but Prlvnte llonntj In Pouring
Out Wlllinnt Stint at
Call of Wnnt.
Omaha has offered San Francisco tiO.OoO
Immediately in money, food, clothing or In
any other way 'jesired. General Manager
Mohlcr of the I'niou Pacific has announced
that his railroad will omy any quantity
of supplies free to the stricken city and
with the greatest pnstlhlu speed. A relief
committee of prominent citizens was or
ganized at the city hall at noon and 19,000
subscribed within ten minutes. The work
of soliciting funds was systematized and
committees appointed to handle various
territories. TKo declaration was made that
Omaha will bo among the greatest con
tributors among the cities of the country.
Barton Heads the List.
The subscription ll.st was headed by Guy
C. Barton by a gift of J..0"0. which Is as
DESTROYED
c;naDD
J
i
1 1 1 1 1 1 u t: 1 1 i rr', 'n m
" 'i 1 1 a i ,;'jai
a op m'&mwJ&m
,T T. ET-T, r 17 71 WTTi
Latest News From California
I :
Rll.l.F.TIV
OAKUXNI'. Cal.. April lH.-Mldnlght.-At
this hour the fire in San Francisco does
not appear to have diminished. The entire
sky is Illuminated by the glare of the
unchecked conflagration. There is no wind
and only the faintest suspicion of a breese
tonight, but It Is said that there Is a s'.iff
prccse blowing over San Francisco. A
I gigantic column of smoke hangs over deso
lated San Francisco, the apex forming
fantastic shapes thousands of feet In the
air and slowly drifting awny to the north
ward. Although telegraphic communication wax
established this evening with the ferry
building on the San Francisco sid". only a
very limited volume of matter could be
handled. The telegraph company would
receive by a few hundred words of press
matter, giving the wins over to pressing
commercial business. It Is probable that
by tomorrow morning additional facilities
will have been provided nnd detailed stories
of the city's destruction can be handled
from that side of the bay. The telegraph
companies are completely swamped by the
enormous volume of messages reaching
-liere as well as those tiled here for the
outside world.
It is unlikely that there will be any fur
ther news matter from San Francisco be
fore morning.
Bl M.KT1V
SAN JOSE. Cal., April 19. The latest re
ports here today show that ten people
were killed in the earthquake. The hall
of records Is destrojed as well as the hall
of Justice.
All the' main buildings are badly dam
aged. It. H. Tucker, in charge of the Lick
observatory, sajs: "No damage was done
to the Instruments or the buildings of the
observatory by the earthquake."
large as the amount contributed by George
Gould, Clarence M.ickay. Charles M.
Schwab and other multi-millionaires. The
other contributions followed as rapidly
as tho men could put their names down
and many produced money or checks and
handed them to Luther Drake, president
of tho Merchants National bank, who
was selected treasurer of the fund.
Tho meeting that organized the relief
committee whs attended by fifty of the lead
ing men of business and affairs in Omaha.
Applause greeted the announcement by
Mr. Mohler that not only would the
Union Pacific transport supplies without
DISTRICT
..otj'-e
rex
UY
r- mc i
Portion Showing Where Earth
Entire Area.
V
Ill I.I -.T1.
NEW YORK. April IS. William II.
Baker. Ice president and general manager
of the Postal Telegraph company, at lo.:i
o'clock tonight received the following from
the deputy chief of the San Francisco
tire department:
"Seven thirty tonight, fire still under
headway, gathering force and spreading.
Two-thirds of the business section of city
devastated. Fire heading for residential
district. Efforts to fight flames futile.
Three hundred thousand will be homeless
tonight. By Saturday San Francisco will
be an ash heap."
Bt i,i.i:ti.
LOS ANGELES. Cut.. April 19-At i::31
o'clock this afternoon Los Angeles experi
enced a distinct earthquake shock of short
duration Absolutely no damage was done,
but thousands of people were badly fright
ened. Tall olllce buildings and many stores
were hurriedly deserted. The shock, how
ever, passed off In a few minutes and most
of those who had fled street wards returned
presently. The San Francisco horror bus
strung the populace here to a high tension.
A spell of sultry weather serves to In
crease the general nervousness.
M I.I.KTIV
SAN FRANCISCO, April IP-All efforts
lo check the spread of t lie flames at Van
Ness avenue by blowing up a tulle of build
ings have proved fruitless. The tire has
spread across the broad thoroughfare and
from present Indications the entire western
addition, which contains the homes of San
Francisco's millionaires and people of the
wealthier class, Is now doomed. The de
struction of the western addition of tho
city practically completes the work of the
ravaging llames and marks the devastation
of the entire city.
cost, but that President E. H. Harrlman
was speeding on his way to the coast in
a special train personally to assist in
the rtscuo work and that it was being
arranged for the corporations represent
ing tho Harrlman lines to make a largo
donation to tho relief fund.
1,1st at Those Ubo fiave.
The subscription list when it wis
checked up stood as follows;
Guy C. Karton 5,0uo
John A. Creighton ftoo
Rome Miller i
J. '. Iiamman 60
First National lifWiK hn
Merchant National Bark Uni
F. A. Nash liti
Thomas Ktlpatrlrk & Co 2ou
Paxton A Gallagher zbo
Hyme-Hainmer iry Goods Co iio
M. E. Smith & Co 2i0
McShane Lumber Co
Oichard & Wllhelm Carpet Co "0
Omaha Mee 00
T. J Mahoney luo
Wright - & Wllnolmy Co likj
John P. Breen !0
d. M. Hitchcock loo
Henry T. Clarke l'
Midland Glass nnd Paint Co )
Howard H. Baldrlge I'D
Waldemar Mlchaeleen a
Dr. J. H. Ralph 26
J. L. Brandels & Buns o
What Form of llelpf
Authority was given to Treasurer Drake
to wire bis bank correspondents at Sun
Francisco the Wells-Fargo people and ask
directions as to how the assistance should
be sent. Doubt was expressed if attempts
to telegraph money would bo of any Im
mediate assistance, as it will be days before
tho funds in the vaults of the burned
bunks could be reached; also whether food,
clothing and tents shipped at once might
1 not afford more benefit to the people of
San Francisco than efforts to place cash
at their disposal. Mr. Drake was instructed
to respond, as the people of San Francisco
seemed to wish, and to announce to them
that $10,000 stood ready waiting their or
ders. The Wells-Fargo company announces it
will carry free all provisions or money
going by express.
Relief Committee Appointed.
The mass meeting named a relief com
mittee with Guy C. Barton as chairman,
C. M. Wllhelm as secretary and Luther
Drake as treasurer to have charge of the
raising of funds in Omaha and their dis
posal. Tho committee represents varied
interests controlling milions in money and
property. It is as follows:
Mayor H. B. Zlmtnan. U. M. Hitchcock,
Victor Rosewater, Joseph Polcar, F. It.
Davis, Lewis S. Reed, C. F. McGrew, O.
W. Wattles, Emll Brandels, J. A. Sunder
land, J. Frank Carpenter, Ward M. Bur
gess, Charles J. Pickens, F. P. Klrken
dall, F. A. Nash, T. J. Mahoney, Howard
11. Baldrlge, T. C. Byrne , Dr. George L.
Miller, A. L. Mohler, William Hayden,
H. A. Thompson, J. E. Bauni, Rome
Miller, Rev. T. J. Mackay. Morris J.
Levy, W. 8. Wright, J. A. Creighton,
Thomas Kllpatiick, F. W. Judson, Ruben
Cowell.
Major Busy With 'Phone.
Mayor Zlmtnan devoted practically all his
lime Thursday morning personally to tele
phoning prominent men of the city ln.lt
lng them to be present at the San Francisco
relief meeting in the council chamber, lio
received a cordial response from cvti youo
whom he reached.
The meeting ukhembled in the council
(Continued on Third Page.)
RUINS ON
EVERY HAN
Reports from Towns 6urronndint: 8iu
Francisco Tell Pitiful Story.
PRETTY SANTA ROSA IS A TOTAL WRECK
Every Business Block and Most of Residences
in the City Destroyed.
FIRE TAKES WHAT EARTHQUAKE LEAVES
Ten Thousand People There Homeless ind
Camp in the Hills.
OTHER PLACES SUFFER ALMOST AS MUCH
Scarcely a City or Town la Vicinity of
San Tranciico Escapes.
PROPERTY ABANDONED BY THE PEOPLE
Only Motive Which Actuates Them is
that of Personal Safety.
ONLY MEAGER DETAILS ARE RECEIVED
Lines , of Communication Uncertain and
All in Hopeless Confusion.
LOS ANGELES PEOPLE GIVEN A SCARE
Might Karthquskei Shoek Felt at that
Point, nnt o Daniaae Results
Beyond Whet Is none to
.Nerves of People.
SACRAMENTO. Cal., April l.-Both
telegraph companies have practically lost
communication with San Francisco. The
wires west of hero come snd go down In
a fitful way, making their continuous use
Impossible. At one point, l.OnO feet of line
has sunk out of sight and in many other
places tho poles have toppled over. Tho
wind Is blowing n, gale, and "mixing" the
wires lit many pluces.
SAN FRANCISCO, April Via Oak
land. April 19. Reports from ths interior
are most alarming. eanta Rosa, one of
the prettiest cities of the state. In the
prosperous county of Sonoma, Is a total
wreck. There are 10,000 homeless men,
women and children huddled" together. The
loss of life is not to be estimated. It will
probably reach the thousands.
As ti e last great seismic tremor spent
its force In the earth the whole business
portion tumbled into ruins. Ths main
street is . piled mauy feet deep with the
fallen buildings... Not one -business build
ing Is left Intact.
This destruction Includes all the county
buildings. The four-story court house, with
Its dome mounting high into the heavens,
is merely a pllo of broken masonry. Noth
ing Is left. Identification is impossible.
What was not destroyed by the earth
quake has been swept by fire. Until the
flames leaped into the heavens there was
hope of saving the residence district. It
wus soon apparent that any such Idea
that might have been entertained was to
bo abandoned.
This was appt eclated by the citizens and
they prepared to desert their homes. Not
even their household goods were taken.
They mado for the fields and hills, to
watch tho destruction of one of the most
beautiful cities of the west.
Messengers bring the saddest tidings of
the destruction of Healdsburg, Geyservllle,
Clovcrdule, Hoplund and L'kltth. This re
port takes In the country as far north as
Mendocino and Luke counties and as far
west as the Pacific ocean. These are fron
tier counties and have not as large towns
as farther south.
In every case the loss of life and prop
erty is as shocking as here.
At Stockton sad 'Fresno.
STOCKTON, Cal., April 1.-Falling to
reach San Francisco authorities by wire.
Mayor Gardner of Stockton left here fur
Sau Francisco this morning to personally
offer Stockton's uid. Little or no dam
use was done iiere.
FRESNO, Cal., April 19,-The earthquake
did no damage in Fresno, although it was
the heaviest shock ever felt here. At Los
Banos. on the border line of the county,
heavy damage was done. Several brick
buildings were wrecked. The loss Is 7f,00u.
No fatalities.
HHDRF.D4 DKAD I 8ASTA ROSA
Business Section Collapses ! Flro
Destroys Hulas.
OAKLAND. Cal.. April 19.-C. A. Duffy
of Owensboro, Ky., who has been In Santa
Rosa since last October, was the only One
out of several score to escape from the
floor in which lie was quartered In the
St. Rose hotel at Santa Rosa.
He came to Oakland on Ms motorcycle
after he was released and tells a thrilling
story of his rescue and the condition of
affuirs in general at Santa Rosa.
Mr. Duffy says when the shock came he
ruuhed for the stairway, but the building